The main ornamental feature of Green Mountain Sugar Maple is its brilliant red, yellow, or orange fall color that develops in the cooler part of its range. On the east coast of the United States the trunks of sugar maples are tapped in the winter for their sap which is later boiled down to make maple syrup.

Morphology:Green Mountain sugar maple develops into a stately tree that grows 40’-60’ tall and 35’ wide at maturity. It features a symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline. Leaves are arranged oppositely, are simple, and have 3-5 lobes. They feel rather leathery when handled. They are often referred to as being star shaped. Sugar maple can be distinguished from Norway maple by having rounded tips on the lobes of the leaves. Sugar maple leaves range in size from 3”-6” across.

The Canadian national emblem is often equated with the shape of the sugar maple leaf.

During the summer the leaves are dark green (pale beneath), but by the fall they turn their brilliant shades of burnt orange or red. This cultivar is considered one of the best in the trade for the temperate zone.

Fruit is the familiar two-winged samara as with other maples. Birds and squirrels fest on the fruit produced by this tree.

Adaptation:Growing in full sun or shade, this species will tolerate a wide variety of soil types.